Disclaimer: See the first part.
Author's Notes: See first part.
Part 4: View of a Starscape
"We're receiving a message."
Dylan nodded, still too numb from the last minute's events to do more than that.
The front screen lit up. "Eureka Maru to Andromeda. Permission to come aboard."
The crew breathed a collective sigh of relief. Dylan smiled gratefully and spoke to his first officer. "Permission granted."
***
Dylan was sitting in the obs. deck, contemplating the stars, when Sarah entered. She sat down beside him and just shared the view for a moment. Finally she said, "I have a present for you."
"Hmm?"
Sarah gave him a small, neatly wrapped package. "Andromeda, could you give us a moment?" The AI switched to privacy mode, leaving Dylan and Sarah's conversation private. "Go on, open it."
Dylan unwrapped it carefully. Inside was a small frame with a picture of him and Beka at the party they had held for the Wisdom's crew.
"Do you remember that?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah, I remember."
'Do you remember how you treated her at that party?"
"Not really. I would assume that I treated her like normal though."
"You treated her like she was something breakable. I was..." Sarah trailed off for a moment. "I was wondering why you treated her like that. I mean, you were never too delicate with anything if I remember correctly."
Dylan looked into Sarah's eyes, wondering if she should know this because she would be staying onboard for a long time. Deciding that that was the exact reason why she should know he decided to tell her. "A little while ago, Beka gave me a birthday present- a map to Tarn Vedra. In the attempt to get there Beka took Flash and she became hooked. It gave her something that she needed, I suppose." He smiled weakly at his former fiancé. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this. I don't think that Beka would want it revealed."
Sarah's eyebrows came together in sympathy. "Dylan, if that isn't a cry for love and affection I don't know what is. What she needs now is someone who'll love her and support her." She laughed. "Listen to me going on like I'm morally superior. Dylan, I've moved on. You should too. That is, if you haven't already." Dylan's face turned a dark shade of red. She elbowed him. "You can't fool me Dylan, I can see you're in love with her."
She stood up. "We're going to be on the same ship for a long time and I really don't want to have to spend all of it watching you two dance around the subject. At least talk to her."
"I will," he promised. "Just not tonight."
"Okay fine. Get some sleep and we'll see how you're feeling tomorrow."
Dylan laughed as he too stood up and walked over to the doorway. "Why are you suddenly playing matchmaker?"
"Because I'm happy and I want you to know that as well."
Dylan yawned, politely covering his mouth. Sarah smiled affectionately as she stepped into the door's sensor area and the door opened. Before it closed between her and Dylan she gave him one last remark. "That, and the fact that Trance insinuated that you two are always together in the- what did she call them?- 'good universes'."
The High Guard captain's eyes shot open but the doors had already closed between them.
